2000-07-10 - 22:58 MDT

July 10, 2000

Red carpet

It seems true to me that absence makes the heart grow fonder - - -provided the absent one is a loved one to begin with.

My constant companion, first class nurse, friend, lover, mother of our children - - - and of course my beloved one was gone for a while. And as before the old saying is proved again to my satisfaction.

Heather was gone about twenty days, on a good cause - - - twenty long days. How often during those days I would get up from a book or the keyboard to walk in and say some thing to her - - - and remind myself - - - "oh, yeah, she is gone." I missed the good mornings - the good nights and all those neat things in between that make life enjoyable. A pat, a smile, a gentle teasing, an unasked for act of generous courtesy. The call of, "Dinner's ready.

Went to pick Heather up at Denver's, "Tent City," known otherwise as, "Dirt Is Airborne." If you haven't been out that way on the prairie when the wind whistles over the barren dry terrain the DIA reference falls flat. Well, anyway, went early so as to take care of flat tires, ungodly detours and acts of God that might occur. Saving grace, I did take a Johnathan Kellerman book to read.

From the time the plane touches down (which is usually the scheduled time) drives along miles of runway, waits its turn to get to the gate and the time that the luggage comes up on the carrousel is roughly one and a half hours. Counting the time consumed in getting the luggage to our parked car and taking the long drive out of the airport, another hour. Enough ranting about the, insufferable complications of normal, everyday life.

We went to the Denny's five minutes from our apartment and had supper. We both like to eat there because of their senior menu. We can order off of it and not be overfull after eating. Both of us are depression era kids and were taught what a horrible sin it was to leave ortage on the plate. So if we order off a regular menu, we end up taking the doggie "box" home with a good portion of the meal that will taste like a meal your worst enemy prepared when warmed over. It was peaceful, we were well served and contentedly full.

And then home. Luggage on the cart I took along, up the down staircase (in the elevator) and into the apartment to be unpacked tomorrow.

After conversing for a time and Heather looking over her mail she headed to bed for a well deserved rest.

I ate, watered the plants, read the paper, cleaned up after my self, did as I should like a good little house broken kid while she was gone. But there was a big hole where Heather occupied my whole being. The knowledge that my mate was on the premises was not there and caused psychological sadness. I knew where she was, but the big but - - - we weren't together. How could I explain to a confirmed bachelor who has lived alone his entire adult life the forlorn, aloneness caused by a mate far away for a while.

Together we don't win any races or make the headlines or even a back page entry - - - but, we are happy together and do by common consent the things we want to do. We both are known to do something or go somewhere because we know that is what the other likes, whether we like it or not is not the point. The point is to be with a mate to enjoy the pleasure experienced by the other.

I sing a song of love, with out a score, without music, and my lyrics are clumsy - - - but oh, Lord the love is there. I am content, Heather is home again.

There is a lady in New Brunswick whose Adventures In Living detail a life of a family of the very best sort. If I get it right the link follows.

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